


awestruck

by Tarredion



Series: fluff for those days <3 [4]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Barista Dan Howell, Crushes, Fan Dan Howell, First Meetings, Fluff, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, Swearing, YouTuber Phil Lester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:33:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23154877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarredion/pseuds/Tarredion
Summary: Dan might meet his best customer at the end of his worst day, and get a little more
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Series: fluff for those days <3 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1663717
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48





	awestruck

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> based on both people wanting me to write barista au, and the prompt: awestruck

The door dings for the fiftieth time that afternoon.

Dan thinks his shift can go royally fuck itself. 

The line to the counter is already ten metres long, filled with antsy customers who’re overly eager to get their coffees and book it, like he can’t, and now there’ll be yet another order to take before he can rest for the day. 

He thinks so as someone who typically enjoys his work at the small, local café, that Louise has owned for a while. She’s a part time youtuber, part time mum, and runs the store part time. Unlike Dan, she’s made quite a name for herself in the community and regularly makes videos, occasionally trying to help Dan get back into it, since he watches a lot of it and is interested. 

It never works.

Making drinks for a couple of more minutes, sweat pouring down his face after the third customer, Dan slowly gets more and more irritated by the strong spicy smells of ground beans. His hair clumps to his forehead by the time he’s made seven drinks in a row, his curls frizzing up like after he’s showered.

Sure must be an unattractive sight.

The clock shows ten more minutes left of his shift when the final customer walks up to the counter. 

The guy, black hair framing his face and glasses hanging off his nose, is standing with a straight back but eyes glued to his phone, neck bent. He’s tall, and his long fingers run fast across the screen, but Dan can’t give less of a damn about him no matter how attractive he is. His temper is on its last straw, and so if the guy is going to be rude to him, he’ll be just as rude back.

Grabbing a mug from the counter, he grips tightly onto the ceramic before opening his mouth. “Do you want to order anything?” he quips, eyes boring into the counter before flicking up again. “I don’t have all day, you know.”

The stranger lifts his gaze, apologetically grimacing as his blue irises glitter in the light. For a second Dan’s unsure of why he seems so familiar. 

Then he speaks up: “Oh, I’m so sorry! I really didn’t want to keep you waiting, just so happens that there was a breakin at my house last week and- yeah, they just needed some details. Sorry.”

_ Oh _ .

Dan gulps down his pride and the equal shame boiling in his gut. Then it flips, and he tries his best to stop his hands from shaking by planting them firmly upon the counter. 

“Oh, uh, no problem, we’re just a bit short-staffed today, absolutely no harm done on your part.” he stutters out, barely able to look at the  _ AmazingPhil _ again. Based on his small smile, the blush on his face is surely radiating. “What can I get you?”

“I’d like a caramel macchiato, please. Considering you’ve worked in Louise's store for so long, you know that order by heart.” 

“Ah, yes, sure- Wait, how did you know I’ve worked here for so long?” Dan asks, stopping with the mug half-filled beneath the funnel of the machine. He eyes Phil suspiciously, who squirms beneath his gaze, cheeks lighting up equally to his own. Something flips within his chest, but he tries to put it down to imagination.

“I, um, I go here each week and always see you, but I’ve never really had the courage to ask you to take my order.”

Okay, this time his whole chest bursts with sparks, heart skipping a beat. If the way Phil holds himself now is any sign, confident stance dissipating and eyes flickering away, there’s something going on here beyond anxiety. 

“.. courage?” Dan forces out, the word jittery on his tongue. Phil doesn’t respond at first, hand simply waving as the machine beeps, indicating the drink is done.

Dan doesn’t want him to go, he realizes, not without an answer. All irritation has disappeared, and his heart is swelling at the thought of AmazingPhil  _ like _ liking him, like the signs tell. 

As if anyone would’ve seen that as possible. 

“I’m Phil. By the way.”

He looks so scared, so timid, almost like he wants the earth to swallow him whole. The vulnerability of his position hurts Dan’s heart.

“ _ Amazing _ Phil. I know.” he says, figuring that lying to him won’t help his esteem.

“Oh. That’s- That’s good. That you know me, too.” 

Just before their hands meet, Phil reaching out for his mug with timid movements, Dan pulls it back behind the counter. 

Wide-eyed, Phil almost looks like he’ll actually swivel and run. A couple of regulars furrow their brows in their direction, confused by Dan seemingly refusing him the drink, something he’s never done before. 

_ Now or never. _

“Would you, um, like to go on a date with me, Phil?” he leans forwards and whispers so only he’ll hear, breath unsteadily dancing across his lips.

“Oh.”

“If not that’s fine, I just thought..”

“I’d very much like to go on a date with you, Dan..” Phil smiles, seemingly regaining his confidence and boldness, evident in his next line. “When does your shift end?”

“5 minutes.” he iterates, another glance upon the clock. “5 minutes, and then it’s a date, yeah?”

Nodding, Phil finally slips his hands around the mug as Dan pushes it towards him. A grin splits his face, and judging by how much his cheeks hurt, Dan’s matches it. “It’s a date.” he whispers gleefully, leaning against the side before handing him the pay. “And I’ll just wait for it right here, keep you company.”

“I don’t mind. At all.”

Phil’s smile is honey slick, his eyes crinkled behind the glass, and his cheekbones tint pink. He runs a hand through his hair, and Dan catches himself thinking he looks delicious in the golden evening light. “Good, cause I hope I’ll be keeping you company for a while…”

“Gladly, as long as you’ll have me.”

  
  



End file.
